---
_id: '9980'
abstract:
- lang: eng
  text: Insufficient understanding of the mechanism that reversibly converts sulphur
    into lithium sulphide (Li2S) via soluble polysulphides (PS) hampers the realization
    of high performance lithium-sulphur cells. Typically Li2S formation is explained
    by direct electroreduction of a PS to Li2S; however, this is not consistent with
    the size of the insulating Li2S deposits. Here, we use in situ small and wide
    angle X-ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS) to track the growth and dissolution of crystalline
    and amorphous deposits from atomic to sub-micron scales during charge and discharge.
    Stochastic modelling based on the SAXS data allows quantification of the chemical
    phase evolution during discharge and charge. We show that Li2S deposits predominantly
    via disproportionation of transient, solid Li2S2 to form primary Li2S crystallites
    and solid Li2S4 particles. We further demonstrate that this process happens in
    reverse during charge. These findings show that the discharge capacity and rate
    capability in Li-S battery cathodes are therefore limited by mass transport through
    the increasingly tortuous network of Li2S / Li2S4 / carbon pores rather than electron
    transport through a passivating surface film.
acknowledgement: "This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon
  2020 research and innovation program under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant NanoEvolution,
  grant agreement No 894042. The authors acknowledge TU Graz for support through the
  Lead Project LP-03. Likewise, the use of SOMAPP Lab, a core facility supported by
  the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research, the Graz University\r\n6
  of Technology, the University of Graz, and Anton Paar GmbH is acknowledged. S.D.T,
  A.V. and R.D. acknowledge the financial support by the Slovenian Research Agency
  (ARRS) research core funding P2-0393. Furthermore, A.V. acknowledge the funding
  from the Slovenian Research Agency, research project Z2-1863. S.A.F. is indebted
  to IST Austria for support. "
article_processing_charge: No
author:
- first_name: Christian
  full_name: Prehal, Christian
  last_name: Prehal
- first_name: Sara Drvarič
  full_name: Talian, Sara Drvarič
  last_name: Talian
- first_name: Alen
  full_name: Vizintin, Alen
  last_name: Vizintin
- first_name: Heinz
  full_name: Amenitsch, Heinz
  last_name: Amenitsch
- first_name: Robert
  full_name: Dominko, Robert
  last_name: Dominko
- first_name: Stefan Alexander
  full_name: Freunberger, Stefan Alexander
  id: A8CA28E6-CE23-11E9-AD2D-EC27E6697425
  last_name: Freunberger
  orcid: 0000-0003-2902-5319
- first_name: Vanessa
  full_name: Wood, Vanessa
  last_name: Wood
citation:
  ama: Prehal C, Talian SD, Vizintin A, et al. Mechanism of Li2S formation and dissolution
    in Lithium-Sulphur batteries. <i>Research Square</i>. doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-818607/v1">10.21203/rs.3.rs-818607/v1</a>
  apa: Prehal, C., Talian, S. D., Vizintin, A., Amenitsch, H., Dominko, R., Freunberger,
    S. A., &#38; Wood, V. (n.d.). Mechanism of Li2S formation and dissolution in Lithium-Sulphur
    batteries. <i>Research Square</i>. <a href="https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-818607/v1">https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-818607/v1</a>
  chicago: Prehal, Christian, Sara Drvarič Talian, Alen Vizintin, Heinz Amenitsch,
    Robert Dominko, Stefan Alexander Freunberger, and Vanessa Wood. “Mechanism of
    Li2S Formation and Dissolution in Lithium-Sulphur Batteries.” <i>Research Square</i>,
    n.d. <a href="https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-818607/v1">https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-818607/v1</a>.
  ieee: C. Prehal <i>et al.</i>, “Mechanism of Li2S formation and dissolution in Lithium-Sulphur
    batteries,” <i>Research Square</i>. .
  ista: Prehal C, Talian SD, Vizintin A, Amenitsch H, Dominko R, Freunberger SA, Wood
    V. Mechanism of Li2S formation and dissolution in Lithium-Sulphur batteries. Research
    Square, <a href="https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-818607/v1">10.21203/rs.3.rs-818607/v1</a>.
  mla: Prehal, Christian, et al. “Mechanism of Li2S Formation and Dissolution in Lithium-Sulphur
    Batteries.” <i>Research Square</i>, doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-818607/v1">10.21203/rs.3.rs-818607/v1</a>.
  short: C. Prehal, S.D. Talian, A. Vizintin, H. Amenitsch, R. Dominko, S.A. Freunberger,
    V. Wood, Research Square (n.d.).
date_created: 2021-09-02T08:45:00Z
date_published: 2021-08-16T00:00:00Z
date_updated: 2021-12-03T10:35:42Z
day: '16'
ddc:
- '621'
department:
- _id: StFr
doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-818607/v1
keyword:
- Li2S
- Lithium Sulphur Batteries
- SAXS
- WAXS
language:
- iso: eng
main_file_link:
- open_access: '1'
  url: https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-818607/v1
month: '08'
oa: 1
oa_version: Preprint
page: '21'
publication: Research Square
publication_status: submitted
status: public
title: Mechanism of Li2S formation and dissolution in Lithium-Sulphur batteries
tmp:
  image: /images/cc_by.png
  legal_code_url: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode
  name: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Public License (CC-BY 4.0)
  short: CC BY (4.0)
type: preprint
user_id: 8b945eb4-e2f2-11eb-945a-df72226e66a9
year: '2021'
...